Cable TV
300+ Patna cable ops on indefinite strike
MUMBAI: Even as the CAS light continues to dim, there are increasing signs that the next round of blackouts are around the corner.
Over 300 cable operators in Patna, the capital of India’s northern state of Bihar, on Tuesday went on an indefinite strike. They were demanding withdrawal of the hike in subscriptions of pay channels and rationalisation of entertainment tax by the state government, the Press Trust of India quoted association president Amit Prakash as saying.
While this was the first major direct action by the cable fraternity in the New Year, there have already been warnings issued from different quarters that similar action is being contemplated.
Cable operators in Delhi are contemplating a joint action wherein all TV channels will be blacked out for a day. “The blackout will be a token strike for a day to force the government to act in the interest of the general public. The date of the strike will be announced shortly after consultations in the other metropolitans,” Cable Operators’ United Front president Virender Gaur was quoted as saying by The Asian Age on Monday.
In Mumbai meanwhile, the Shiv Sena backed Cable Operators and Distributors Association (CODA), which claims to speak for the last mile operators in Mumbai, has vowed to resist any further hikes in pay channel rates.
Winter may be upon us but expect temperatures to flare over the next few days as pay channels negotiate the new subscription rates for 2004.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
